Liberty University Shooting: Joshua Hathaway Killed During Alleged Fight At Virginia School

A male student, 19, was shot and killed on Tuesday in the lobby of an all-female dorm at Virginia’s Liberty University. Joshua Hathaway of Lubbock, Texas, was shot dead by school security after he allegedly attacked an officer with a hammer, the Wdbj7 wrote.

According to the news site, a search warrant stated that Hathaway told the officer he had been robbed and someone stole his car. When the officer started to investigate the student’s complaint, he pulled a hammer from his clothing and assaulted the officer, which resulted in a struggle. When Hathaway broke away from the officer, the officer fired two shots. One of them fatally struck the student, The Roanoke Times added.

The school released the following statement on its website after the altercation:

"We have received reports that a Liberty University Emergency Services Officer was attacked by a male student in the lobby of a women's-only dorm early this morning. The student was shot and killed and the officer was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital for treatment. The Lynchburg Police Department is investigating the matter and Liberty University is cooperating. President Jerry Falwell Jr. issued the following statement: 'The Liberty University community is deeply saddened by this tragic event and is prayerfully supporting all those impacted.'"

Liberty is one of 25 universities in Virginia that allow students, faculty and staff who have a state concealed carry permit to carry their guns on them and keep them in their cars, the Huffington Post wrote. Though the shooting happened in an off-campus dormitory, the dorm is still considered school property. It’s not yet known if the student who was killed had a handgun.

The school in Lynchburg, Va., was founded by the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, the conservative political leader, founder of the Moral Majority and prominent Southern Baptist pastor. His son, Jerry Falwell Jr. is now the university’s president.